Bills DL Troup tells AP he'll have back surgery

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) - Buffalo Bills defensive lineman Torell Troup will have back surgery this week to repair what he called ``a minor fracture'' in his spine.

In revealing then nature of the injury for the first time since being placed on injured reserve two weeks ago, Troup told The Associated Press on Monday that he should be fully recovered in about three months. That's a timetable that will allow him to be ready for the start of spring minicamps.

The second-year player added the operation will also address a pre-existing back problem that's bothered him since the start of training camp.

``I'll be fine,'' Troup said.

Later, on his Twitter account, Troup wrote that surgery has been scheduled for Friday. He then added: ``I'm ready to get this over so i can be the player i was in the preseason. Will feel good to not be in pain everyday.''

Troup said he attempted to play through the spine injury after he was hurt in Buffalo's preseason finale against Detroit on Sept. 1. Troup, who also broke his right hand in training camp, said he didn't want to leave the team short-handed because of a nagging foot injury that eventually landed starting defensive tackle Kyle Williams on IR last month.

After missing the first three games of the season in a bid to rest the injury, Troup wound up playing sparingly in six of the next eight games before the pain in his back became too severe.

Drafted in the second round out of Central Florida, Troup had 23 tackles in 15 games, including three starts, as a rookie.